Super GALS: Gals is a Way of Life
by Hiruka
Summary: After a tragedy at her old school, Tsukiyomi Nami moves to Shibuya and meets Ran, Aya, and Miyu. They teach her how to live life as a Gal, making her forget about her problems. That is until her past catches up with her. Can she face her past like a Gal?
1. Chapter 1

Hi, Hiruka here. Here's a GAL fanfic that i thought of. Hope you likeit and please review :)

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With her head held high, she walked into the mist. Her friends were close by her side, providing the comfort needed, which was her source of power. However, with one of them lost to them because of a memory spell, she will do anything to gain her friend back. The three continued to walk through the mist, awaiting the new world before them_.

"OH MY GOD! THAT WAS THE BEST!"

"NAMIKO!" Nami shuddered behind her book as her mother's voice boomed from below.

Chapter 1: New TownNew School Nami's new way of life

"Sorry mom!" Nami placed her book on her bed and ran downstairs. Downstairs was dark except for in the kitchen. The smell of jasmine tea filled Nami's nose, leading her towards her mother. As she arrived closer to the sweet smell of flower and water, her mother tapped her head.

"I was going to bring it upstairs, but since you caused such a scene with that screaming…"

"Aw, come on mom," Nami pleaded, her eyes sparkling and a smile on her face, "I start school tomorrow and having a nice cup of hot, sweet, jasmine tea would be the perfect remedy to put me right to sleep and will keep me quiet when I read my books." Her mother rolled her eyes, but caved in. Nami stole the cup greedily and began to carefully sip the tea. It smoothly slid down her throat with a warm feeling growing in her stomach.

"Come to think of it," her mother began, "When I was out shopping I picked up a magazine for you." The tea suddenly slipped down Nami's wrong pipe and she began to cough.

"A *cough* magazine?" she asked, "Mom, I never go near the stuff. They *cough* bore me to no end."

"But Namiko, this is a magazine about how teenage girls are living their lives nowadays." Nami took another sip.

"What sort of lifestyle, exactly?" She looked over as she saw her mom pull out a blue magazine with the words "GALS!" written in pink bubble letters. On the cover was a model with freakishly long blonde hair, long earrings, a belly shirt, mini-skirt, and platform sandals. Nami's eyes widen with curiosity.

"Wow" she said. Her mom leaned over her shoulder.

"I know, I know." She took the magazine from Nami's hands and placed it on the table. "When I was in Shibuya, the lifestyle of a gal was just starting."

"So were you ever a gal?" Her mother laughed and placed her finger on her lips.

"I'll tell you once you're deep into your own gal-hood."

"I don't know if I could," Nami stated, staring at the outfit and shoes, "It looks dangerous."

"Well, be prepared for school tomorrow, 'cause it's going to be full of gals!" Nami sighed as she kissed her mother goodnight and headed up to her room, leaving the magazine on the table. Once she closed the door, she crawled into bed, thinking of nothing but cute outfits and platform shoes.

The next morning, Nami's mom knocked on her door calling her name. Nami slowly opened her eyes and noticed her Hounan High school uniform: a white button down with a green tie, a green pleaded skirt, and a green blazer with the Hounan crest. Nami yawned and rolled out of bed, heading towards the bathroom to wash her face. On her way there, she could smell breakfast cooking under her nose.

_Yummy!_ Nami thought and she splashed water on her face. As she reached for a towel, the image of a gal appeared in her mind. _Oh yeah, Mom said something about them being at my school_. Nami threw the towel in the hamper, walked back to her room, and put on her uniform. Once it was on, she looked at her reflection in her body-length mirror. She looked pretty cool, her long brown hair spilled down her back while a few strands fell over her shoulders.

"I look pretty…normal? I dunno…wait, my socks." Nami quickly ran to her sock draw and pulled out a pair of black knee-high socks and pushed her feet into them. She looked at her reflection one last time before leaving her room and smiled. "Well, new school, new start!"

"Namiko!" her mom called, "You're gonna be late if you keep dawdling like that!"

"Shoot!" Nami sprinted downstairs and sat down at the kitchen table. "Breakfast please!" While she shoved down some breakfast down, her mom sat across from her, resting her hand in the palm of her hand with a worried look on her face.

"Mom," Nami said after a while, food spilling out of her mouth as she spoke, "Are you okay?" Her mother sighed.

"I just worry about you, Namiko." Nami paused during her eating, resting her rice bowl onto the table. _That's right_, she thought, _At my last school, there was that incident._ Nami looked at her mom and smiled.

"Don't worry, mom," she said, "New town, new school, new life. I'll be fine."

"I believe that, truly," Her mother replied, "I'm more worried about you within the cliques of your fellow students."

"Look, it'll be fine." Nami placed her chopsticks on the table. "Sure, I had trouble with my former friends in the past, but that's not gonna stop me from starting anew again." Her mother smiled and nodded.

"You're right." She looked at the kitchen clock. "Oh, by the way, you're late." Nami choked on her drink and sprinted towards the door. She threw on her black school shoes and grabbed her Hounan bag.

"My lunch better be in here, or I'll be on time and starve."

"It's in there, now go!" Nami kissed her mom good-bye and ran towards the train station. Luckily, she caught the train she was to take and waited a few stops until she shoved her way towards the exit.

"Phew," she said, "Looks like I might make it." She looked at her watch and her eyes grew in size. "OH GOD, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT!" Nami began to sprint towards her school. By the time she saw the gates, she ran faster, praying that it didn't close until she was safely behind them. _Just a little more…_

PoKa!!!!!

Nami fell backward, surprised that she ran into something when she thought nothing was there. Her lower back began to throb in pain and her legs were burning from the running.

"Sorry," said a person across from her, "Really, I am but—GOD I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT!" Nami opened her eyes and noticed that whoever was talking to her was already in the building. _Wow, whoever that was, they were fast._ Suddenly, a man was about to close the school gates when he noticed Nami and asked, "Are you coming in?" Nami nodded and ran onward to her class.

Hounan was like her last school: Large and full of fellow high school students gossiping about the latest news. She thought that everyone would be in the same uniform, but many of both guys and girls were wearing different color sweaters and many of the girls wore loose socks. _Is this even allowed?_ Nami began to guide herself towards her class and noticed that most of the girls had died hair, loose socks, and long finger-nails. _They sorta look like the gals in the GAL magazine that mom showed me…Wait, didn't mom say that there'd be gals here?_ Nami slid open the door to her classroom and held her breath. Everyone's eyes fell on her and for a moment, she wanted to runaway, but then everyone went back to their own discussions. Nami noticed that most of the desks were already filled with other people.

_Where're am I gonna sit if they're all taken?_ She thought when her eyes fell onto a desk by the window. It seemed vacant since there were no books inside the desk and no bag on the side. Nami approached her desk, her back facing the others, and as she began to unload her stuff, she heard people whispering about her desk choice.

"Hey, that girl's taking Aya's desk."

"Well, it makes sense since Aya's in the college prep class."

"But it still sorta feels weird that an outsider is taking her seat."

"It's doesn't matter, it's just a seat. Aya's still Aya and that's all that matters." Nami felt her chest tighten as she bit her lower lip. Five minutes haven't passed and already she's the talk of the class.

"Nice way to start off the year," She mumbled to herself. Suddenly, a teacher entered the room with a depressed look on his face as he headed towards his desk.

"Settle down everyone." Slowly, everyone began to quiet down except for the laughter of one girl with a red streak in her strawberry-blond hair. "That includes you, Kotobuki." The girl faced the teacher and scratched her head.

"Sorry, Naka-sen." The teacher sighed.

"Let's try to do more work this year, Kotobuki. No more being late to class or not doing your homework, right?"

"Of course!"

"Good." Naka-sen straightened himself out and introduced himself to the class.

"Good morning, All of you remember me from last year, but for the new student in the class, I'm Nakanishi-sensei." He looked at Nami who felt a shock go through her body. _Shoot!_ She thought.

"Tsukiyomi Nami, please stand." Nami really didn't want to, but she felt that if she wanted to start anew, she'd have to do what the teacher asked of her. With shaky hands, she pushed herself off from her desk and stood up. Many of the kids began to whisper among one another and the teacher had to quiet them down.

"Tsukiyomi is transferring in from another school, so please treat her well." He signaled her to sit down and Nami's long day began. Every class dragged onwards until lunch, in which Nami sat at her desk and ate alone. She had a book out on her desk and began to read it intensely, blocking out the world around her and entering the world within the pages before her. Suddenly, time began to fly by and her lunch was over and her long, boring classes continued.

By the time the final bell rang, Nami felt relieved that her academic day was over and she could head on home. As she quickly gathered her books, she noticed a girl enter the classroom with long black hair running towards Kotobuki and the others.

"Aya!" they all screamed.

_So she's the girl who used to sit here_, Nami thought.

"Oh guys, how I missed you all."

"We missed you too," said a girl with bright blond hair and a pink sweater, "This class isn't the same without you."

"Yeah," said another blond-haired girl wearing the school blazer, "This new girl took your desk and it's sorta weird that it's not you sitting there."

"It really is," replied another one with short brown hair. Nami sighed. _Sorry that I'm new here. I guess you'll have to deal with it_. She quickly gathered her things and left the school. She was about to head on home when she realized that she wanted to check out the bookstores in Shibuya. Since she had finished all of the books at home and the book in her bag was one she'd already read, a new would be nice for her to have. With a small smile, Nami took the train to Shibuya and was surprised by how many people came here. Everywhere she looked was crowded with people and school kids just hanging out with each other.

_That's nice_, she thought as she saw the statue of a red dog. She recognized it immediately as the famous Hachiko dog who waited forever for his master to return. Nami couldn't help but to walk towards it and to pay her respects. _It must have taken a lot of willpower to wait forever for his master_. Nami placed a hand on the cool statue, admiring its beauty when a familiar voice grabbed her attention.

"Hey, you're the girl I crashed into this morning!" Nami turned around and saw Kotobuki with her bag swung over her shoulder and her free hand on her hip. "Sorry about that. I couldn't have Naka-sen upset with me again for my lateness."

"Ran," said the blond one, "That's Tsukiyomi-san, the new girl." Nami felt the urge to run away. She never thought that people from her school would hang out here, especially on a weekday.

"Even better," Ran said, "I'd rather crash into a fellow classmate than any other person, really."

"Well, Naka-sen is really gonna be on you tail this year," the blond girl replied.

"I know, I know. Don't be such a worry wart, Miyu." Miyu sighed. Nami saw Aya looking at her and then at her friends, back and forth as if picking whether to hang with the new kid or stick with the old. Finally, she gave Nami a kind smile and said, "So how do you like our school so far?" Nami stared blankly at her for a second before realizing she was making small talk with her.

"Oh," Nami said, "Umm…It's okay, I guess. I mean, it's been only one day."

"Well, let me say that with this girl in your class, you're gonna have lots of entertainment." Aya pointed to Ran, who gritted her teeth and glared at her.

"What's that suppose to mean, Aya?" Aya giggled.

"I'm just saying that my class will never be as interesting as last year when you would share all of your late stories."

"That's true," Miyu replied. She then looked at Nami and said, "This girl will come in late or not do her homework and have some crazy story behind it. And what makes it so interesting is that she says it straight as if it really happened."

"Well," Ran said, "It is a gift. I'm able to come up with the best stories."

"Oh Ran," Aya said.

"Ran, really," Miyu said at the same time. Nami bit her lips together, feeling a little awkward of being the odd-one out in this group.

"Well, I can't wait to hear them," she finally said, "But I do have to get going and-"

"Actually," Aya interrupted, "We were gonna look for some new accessories in Shibuya, do you wanna join?"

"I really don't-"

"Sure you should come," Ran said, placing her arm through Nami's, "Since you're new here, you should explore Shibuya a little. And having the great Kotobuki Ran guiding you through is a special privilege."

"The great Kotobuki Ran?" Nami repeated, confused of what Ran was saying. Ran dropped her arm and jumped onto the Hachiko statue with the dog between her legs. She struck a pose and gave a big smile.

"I'm number one in Shibuya, the world's greatest gal, Kotobuki Ran!"

"Number one gal?" Nami repeated. Suddenly, the magazine image returned in her mind and she gasped. "So you're a gal?"

"Of course," Ran replied, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"So you wear funky clothes and platform shoes?" Ran laughed.

"Those are the essential fashion-wear of a gal."

"I must admit, I'm impressed."

"What do you mean by that?" Miyu asked.

"My mom showed me this magazine of gals and I couldn't help but applaud those who can walk in those shoes and wear those clothes."

"It's not that difficult to wear, really," Aya said, "You get your own sense of style and you create a gal of your own."

"That sounds pretty cool." Nami said, happy that she wasn't lying to fit in. She was impressed by the clothes and shoes. In a way, she began to feel the urge to try some on herself. _Calm down, Nami_, she thought, _Don't wanna get your hopes too high about them or about this gal stuff. As cool as it sounds, you've gotta keep your guard up_.

"So?" Ran said, pulling Nami out of her thoughts, "Come with us while we go shopping. Maybe you'll pick something up and can wear it to school."

"But isn't wearing accessories not allowed?" Nami asked, feeling a little stupid in asking.

"Technically, no," Miyu answered, "but since every girl there does it, the teachers don't really complain."

"That's right," Ran shouted, "Now let go and-" a sudden loud grumble filled the streets, causing Nami to look around.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Ran's stomach," Aya answered, pointing at Ran, who had suddenly fainted over Hachiko. Nami stared at her in amazement.

"How can one girl have a grumble that loud," she muttered.

"No one has the faintest idea," Miyu answered, causing Nami to jump a little. Miyu giggled and walked towards Ran. "Ran, we can pick up food on the way, but let's hit the stores or all of the good stuff will be gone." Nami watched as Miyu and Aya drag Ran away from Hachiko and towards a Takoyaki stand, where Ran devoured five helpings and offered none to the others.

"That is one big appetite," Nami commented. Ran ate the last takoyaki before replying, "A great gal must have a great appetite. Don't be stingy. That's an ironclad rule for gals!"

"Ironclad rule? There're actual rules to be a gal?"

"Not really," Aya answered, "but Ran is so famous not only in Shibuya, but for gals nationwide. Magazine writers write down her ironclad rules and publishes them for all to see."

"Last year, a girl from Hokkaido came to Shibuya just to become her disciple," Miyu added. Nami was too amazed to speak. Out of all the people she had met in the past, this group was the most entertaining bar none.

"Enough chat of the past," Ran shouted, "Let's go get some accessories!" With a proud march, Ran headed towards the ¥100 store with Aya and Miyu following close behind. Nami kept a distance, lost into her own mind about whether to ditch them or still hang with them.

_Normally when I go to a new school, I'm not given such a welcome, even if it was an accident._

"Hey, Tsukiyomi!" Nami snapped out of her mind and found herself staring at Ran.

"Wow, you space out a lot, just like Aya."

"That's mean of you, Ran!" Aya screamed.

"Sorry," Nami said, "I was just lost in thought."

"Well, if you stay in your mind the whole time you're gonna miss the present. Now…" Ran grabbed a blue polka-dotted bracelet along with silver bangles and placed them on Nami's wrists.

"Which one do you like better?"

[Tsukiyomi residents]

"I'm back!" Nami shouted as she took off her shoes at the door.

"Welcome back," she replied, "How did it go today?" Nami sprinted towards the kitchen and told her about school, Shibuya, and hanging out with a group of people shopping for accessories.

"My my my," she said, "Sounds like you were busy." Nami nodded. "You can't even stop smiling." Nami laughed and shook her head.

"I've not been smiling all day."

"But it's a good thing. It shows that you're breaking your old tradition." Nami shrugged, raising her wrists in the air. As her right arm moved, there was a jingle sound. Nami saw a wide grin grow on her mother's face as she asked, "Are those the bracelets you chose?" Nami stared at them and nodded.

"I think the fact that you get more bracelets for the same price as one plastic one is a good one, especially if you chose these bangles."

"Well I'm happy for you."

"Me too!" Nami quickly ran upstairs and began to tackle her homework.

The next day of school was just like the day before. When she entered the classroom, no one paid any attention to her, including Ran and Miyu.

_I thought that it would be too good to be true_. With a sigh, Nami headed towards her desk, plopping her bag on its surface. Soon after, Naka-sen walked in and her second long day began. Throughout the day, Nami's eyes kept on wandering over to Ran and Miyu, wondering if they would look at her back, hoping that they hadn't already forgotten her. By the time the bell rang for lunch, Nami decided to give up. When the final school bell rang, She slipped out of the classroom and headed towards the exit. As she walked, she heard someone calling her name. When she turned around, she saw Aya running towards her, waving her arm in the air. Nami felt her heart flip a little with joy.

"Hey," Aya said, catching her breath, placing her hands on her knees for support, "I thought that was you."

"You were right," Nami replied, not really knowing what else to say. Aya finally caught her breath and stood up straight.

"We were gonna head on over to Palm tree and do our homework there. Why don't you join us?" Nami stared at Aya's smile, happy that someone remembered her.

"Sure," Nami said, "I'd love to."

"Great. Ran and Miyu should be coming out any minute, unless Ran is already caught for not doing her homework."

"Does Kotobuki-san always not do her homework?" Aya nodded.

"The only time Ran will ever do her work is if her allowance is on the line, which can be frequent sometimes. Oh, there they are." Aya waved her arm in the air and Ran waved back, running towards them with Miyu close behind.

_Breaking the old tradition, huh?_ Nami thought, _Maybe I can break it. Here. With these people…well, maybe I should wait until I know them better. Can't make assumptions that we're friends until later._

"HEY!" Nami jumped at the sound of Ran's loud voice. "Man, if you keep spacing out like that, time's gonna fly right by you."

"Sorry," Nami said, her heart still startled by Ran's voice.

"So, shall we get going?" Miyu asked. With a nod, the four of them headed towards Palm Tree.

While they traveled, Nami listened to Ran speak about the cutest boots that she just had to buy, then she began complaining about how her father doesn't give her enough allowance money, then onto how she really doesn't want to be a police officer.

"So my dad then said, 'Ran, if you wish to make it in this world, you should follow your destiny of being a police officer.' Then I said, 'No way, pops. My destiny is to be a gal and live every moment.' Besides, being a cop is so not my thing."

"Yeah, especially when you do something to help people and get all passionate without knowing it," Miyu pointed out. Ran pouted, swinging her bag over her shoulder and not speaking.

"So Tsukiyomi-san," Aya said, changing topics, "What do you like to do?"

"Me?" Aya nodded. "Well, I love reading books."

"Really? So do I." Nami couldn't help but smile. "What books are you into?"

"Well, fantasy is my thing. Although I must confess, sometimes, if there isn't a good book out, I'd just pick up a manga."

"Mangas are the only things that Ran reads," Miyu added in.

"Of course," Ran said, "Why read more books when you're already really smart now?"

"But some books aren't just for learning, Kotobuki-san," Nami replied, "Fantasy books are basically mangas without any pictures and are detailed with many things. That's what the imagination's for, right?" Ran stared at her for a moment and thought about it.

"Yeah," she finally said, "but I'd still never pick up a book." Nami sighed.

"Well, here we are," Miyu announced, raising her hand behind her. "Tsukiyomi-san, this is Palm Tree. I also work part-time here." Nami smiled as she saw the little café shop with its stain-glass door, its pink paint, the columns, it looked like a cool place to hang out.

"But…" Nami began to say aloud, "Isn't this…in the middle of nowhere?"

"We thought so too," Aya answered, "But a lot of people come here just for this place. Of course, when school lets out, not many people come here except us and more of our friends." Nami nodded and swallowed hard.

_They've got MORE friends? Wow, is there even room for me to fit in?_

"Well then," Miyu began to walk towards the door, "Shall we?" Nami followed close behind and when Miyu opened the door, she saw tables set up on her left, a counter on her right with a tall man in dark sunglasses behind it, wiping down a glass in his hand. When they entered, he looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Gill-man," Ran shouted. The man's smile disappeared and he placed the glass on the counter.

"You know, I've got a name you know."

"But Towa-rin says that we can call you that while she's away. You wouldn't wanna upset her, now would you?"

"Towa-rin?" Nami repeated.

"Towa-san is the owner of Palm Tree," Aya answered, "She's traveling for a bit, but she'll be back soon to take over."

"In the mean time," Miyu continued, "her high school buddy is helping her out while she's away." Name placed a finger on her cheek.

"Why does he look so familiar?"

"That's because he's Detective Kudoh in the 'Odaiba Cop' series." Nami's jaw fell to the ground and the man before her rubbed the back of his head.

"That's true," he said, "But we don't have a shooting for another while, so I'm helping out Towa-chan in my spare time."

"That's really nice of you," Nami replied. The four of them soon grabbed a table and began to do their school work. Nami was glad that Aya was there because there were some things that she didn't understand. Ran, on the other hand, was busy goofing off and Miyu was yelling at her, trying to persuade her to do something.

"Man, Ran, you're just gonna end up taking supplementary classes again. Is that something you really want?"

"Like hell I wanna waste my Shibuya time stuck in school."

"THEN DO SOME WORK!" Miyu shouted, causing Ran to fall out of her chair. Nami couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly, her phone began to ring, interrupting the yelling process between Miyu and Ran.

"Hi mom."

"_Hey Namiko. You still hanging out with the girls from yesterday_?"

"Yeah, they're helping me with my homework. You want me to head on home?"

"_Well, only if you want dinner. If you're planning on eating with the girls, then that's okay too_."

"Nah, I'll come home…Alright, see you then." Nami closed her phone and looked at the three. "Sorry, I gotta go."

"That's alright," Miyu said, "We're almost done here anyway." Nami began to pack her things into her bag. Once she zipped it shut, she rose and said, "Thank you for inviting me to tag along again. I really enjoyed it."

"Well of course we'd invite you," Ran said, "That's what classmates do, right?" Nami felt her heart stop, but she placed a smile on her face.

"Well, thanks just the same. I'll be going now." As quickly as she could, Nami ran out the door and began to head towards the train station.

_Classmates…that's right. I've gotta remember that. Friends don't just develop over two days. It takes time. _As Nami continued to run, an old memory began to creep into her mind.

"_Just because we just met, doesn't mean that we're not friends. Friendship is something you know from the start, and I think that we're gonna be best friends, Nami-chan."_

Nami felt a pain in her heart as another memory began to creep in.

"_Come on, we're best friends. You can do this. I've got your back." _

Nami began to run faster, trying to prevent any more thoughts to enter her mind. Unfortunately, no matter how fast her legs could carry her, they still came.

"_Wow, thanks, Nami-chan. You're such a good friend." _

"_Don't worry. If you just follow my plan, it'll work." _

"_Friends always do what the other wants, right?" _

PoKa!!!!!!

Nami suddenly found herself on the ground again, rubbing her back again from falling down. The memories had stopped coming in, which was a relief.

"Sorry. Didn't see you there," said a masculine voice. Nami looked up and saw a pair of grey eyes staring down at her. His hair was pitch black and blocking out the setting sun from her eyes. After what felt like minutes of staring, he extended a hand and helped her on her feet.

"That's okay," she replied, "I wasn't paying attention." She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at the ground, noticing her bag had fallen against a tree. She ran towards it to pick it up, but once she pulled on the straps, she heard a snapping sound and one slipped through her fingers, which lead to the bag falling again.

"Oh man," she whispered, "How am I gonna carry my books home now?"

"Is everything alright?" Asked the guy. Nami turned around and smiled.

"My bag just broke that's all." She heard his footsteps approaching her.

"Here." The guy sat down on the ground and began to take out her books from her bag.

"Hey, what're you-"

"I'm switching bags with you."

"What? Why?"

"You looked like you were in a hurry. It'll be easier to carry your stuff when you've got two secure straps rather than one."

"But that'll be unfair to you." He chuckled.

"I'm in no hurry." Nami gave up as she watched him carefully placing her books into his black bag. It reminded her of Ran's bag in a way. He definitely went to a private school, that's for sure. He had a dark blue uniform, both coat and pants, with gold buttons on the jacket. She saw his white button collar peaking at the top. _I wonder what school he goes to_. Finally, he finished transferring the books and handed her his bag.

"There you go." She took it and stared down at it, not knowing what to say except for, "Thank you."

"No problem." He took a hold of her broken bag and stood up. "Good luck at getting where you need to go." And with that, he left. Nami still sat there by the tree, holding the straps of the bag really tightly.

_Who was that guy?_

The week flew by and Nami was pleased that no memories from her past had stalked her mind. For Wednesday and Thursday, everyone was busy doing other things, so Nami wasn't so devastated when they didn't ask her to hang out with them again. However, at school, they haven't seen to recognize her. Finally, when the bell rang ending the day, Nami gathered her courage and headed over towards Ran and Miyu.

"H-Hey guys," she said. Ran and Miyu turned around and smiled.

"Hey, Tsukiyomi-san," Miyu replied. She turned to two other girls and pointed, "This is Satsuki and Rie." The two said hi.

"I'm Tsukiyomi Nami. Nice to meet you."

"Anyway, we were about to head on into Shibuya. Wanna come?" Ran asked everyone.

"Sorry, Ran," Satsuki said, "I promised my folks that I'd help out with some house stuff."

"And I promised to help," Rie replied.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped then." She then looked over at Nami. "You're obviously in, right?" Nami nodded and Ran jumped on her desk.

"Alright! Lets head on into Shibuya! Life!" Ran suddenly struck a pose. Soon after, a fan came falling down on her, causing her to fall.

"Kotobuki," Naka-sen said, "How many times have I told you not to stand on the desk!"

"Sorry, Naka-sen, but it's the start of the weekend. I'm just excited."

"THEN GET EXCITED WHEN YOU"RE OUT OF SCHOOL!" He screamed. Ran quickly grabbed her stuff, then Miyu and Nami's arms, and dragged them while sprinting out of the school. Aya was waiting by the gate, surprised by their sudden entrance.

"Damn that Naka-sen," Ran began as they arrived in Shibuya, "Why does he have to dampen my mood when the weekend comes?"

"It's not like he wants to dampen the mood, but rather that he just wants you off the desk," Miyu answered.

"Well we're in Shibuya now," Ran said, "and as long as we're on my turf, everything's gonna turn out great!"

"There's Ran and her positive attitude," Aya said.

"She never gives it away," Miyu added. Nami just stared at Ran, wondering how this girl stays so happy. _I hope I can learn from her. At least if things don't work out, I'll get something good out of it_.

"Hey, isn't that Tsukiyomi Nami?" A voice said loudly. Nami froze, hoping that it was her imagination or a memory rather than a real voice.

"Yeah, what's she doing here?"

"I thought that after the incident at school she'd be far out of Japan."

"Well, since she's freakishly-close to her mom, they probably pulled some strings and created a new cover."

"I wonder how SHE'S gonna feel knowing that her ex-best friend is back."

"I know, I can't believe she would do that to her. And they were so close."

"I know…" The voices faded and all Nami could hear was the beating of her heart pounding in her ears. She had wanted to start things anew here, try to gain new friends without anything about her past getting in the way. However, it seems to be that it was all around her. Her eyes wandered on over to Aya, Miyu, and Ran, who were all looking at where the voices had left. Nami noticed that Ran was no longer goofing around. Her eyes had changed and they just glared in the direction of the voices. Nami felt her heart sink, knowing that probably the best thing for her to do is to leave. She took one step back until a Ran's voice stopped her.

"Dumbasses." She said, "Thinking that just because they see someone that they can start bringing up the past. If I ever see them in my Shibuya again, I'll make sure that they won't return."

"That's horrible," Miyu added, "Not everyone wants to be reminded of the past, especially if they did something that they regretted doing." Nami stared at the ground, looking at her black shoes and the ground beneath them.

"Obviously, they've got boring lives." Everyone looked at Aya. "People like them live off of other people who've had difficulties in their lives. That way, they've got something interesting to talk about after school." She turned to Nami with a kind smile on her face. "If they live on gossip and the past, then they'll never have the fun that everyone should have."

"Hoshino-san…"

"That's right." Nami looked at Miyu. "Life as a gal is way more fun that living on gossip. It helps you through the bad stuff."

"Yamazaki-san…"

"You're right." Nami looked up at Ran, who was suddenly standing on Hachiko. "You both are. Living on gossip is no life at all, and being a gal is too much fun to pass up." She jumped down and wrapped her arm around Nami's shoulder.

"Obviously, you've got something big on your mind. No prob, you don't have to tell us now. But you know, if you ever wanna tell us, you can. Talking to your friends helps lessen the suffering." Nami didn't know what to say. She just stared at the ground again, feeling that she should say something.

"You know," She began, "I don't have the best of luck when it comes to friendships, so I don't know when one wants me to hang with them or not." She looked up at the three. "I guess I sorta lost my trust in friendship."

"But you want to though, right?" Ran asked. "Trust in friendship again?" Nami nodded. "Then stick with us 'cause we will knock that trust back into friendship…plus we want you here." Nami couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks. Can I ask you a favor though?"

"Sure thing!"

"Can you three teach me how to live life as a gal?" Nami noticed Ran's eyes beginning to sparkle.

"Of course! And with the Great Kotobuki Ran to guide you, you'll be in the group that contains the greatest gals of Japan!"

"Thanks!"

"Well, first off, lets get you platform shoes," Miyu suggested,, "Then we'll get you some gal clothes that you can mix and match with."

"And then there're the nails," Aya added, "You need press-on nails. Of course they don't have to be as long as Ran's, but they look great."

"And then to celebrate," Ran concluded, "We'll have a Kara-Mara to celebrate our new friend! Right, Nami?" Nami was surprised that Ran had called her by her first name, but she smiled big and nodded.

"Then let's hit the shoe store!" Ran, Miyu, and Aya began to walk ahead. Nami followed close behind, thinking, _I guess it is possible to start anew…I really wonder what fun is gonna be in my future_.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Beautiful Voice--Cute Guy--Nami Loses it.

"Does this work?" Nami asked her mother as she posed in front of a mirror. In the reflection, she saw her mother shaking her head. With a sigh, she went into her closet and began to take off the clothes on her and dug through others that were yet to be tried on.

"When it comes to dressing up," her mother began, "You're not the brightest." Nami stopped her search and glared at her mother.

"Thanks mom," she said in a sarcastic tone, "and no, I can dress perfectly fine. It's just…"

"You're meeting new people from this new group you're in and you're all nervous and you don't wanna get your hopes up and-" Nami raised her hand in front of her mom's face to stop her from speaking.

"I don't need to hear the list. I see it religiously when I hang out with, Ran, Aya, and Miyu." Nami walked back into her closet and continued to throw things on the floor. "I don't wanna blow it with them, you know? And they helped me a lot with the gal shopping thing, so I don't wanna disappoint them."

"You know you're going to clean this mess up before you leave, right?"

"MOM!" Nami cried, "HELP ME!" After many trials of putting on clothes, Nami and her mom agreed on a white, sleeveless Tee with a pink heart in the center, followed by a jean mini-skirt with the white platform boots to tie it all together.

"I feel so…naked," Nami commented after viewing herself in the mirror.

"Don't worry," her mom said, pulling blue plastic bangles and a silver necklace with her name written on it. "With these, you'll definitely fit in." Nami placed on her accessories and sighed.

"God I'm nervous."

"Just be yourself, and you'll be great." Nami took a deep breath and left her house, a pink sweat jacket tied around her waist. _Okay, so I want some form of cover-up if this doesn't work_, Nami thought, _That's not illegal, right?_ Once Nami arrived in Shibuya, she headed towards Hachiko. _Looks like I'm early._

"Nami!" Nami moved her head in front of the Hachiko statue and saw Miyu running towards her, wearing platform sneakers and pink jeans along with a green sleeveless V-neck sweater. She noted the white tank top underneath the sweater that was carrying a pair of sunglasses. "You made it. Wow, you clean up nicely as a gal." Nami blushed a little.

"My mom had to help pick out my outfit with me. Since I'm new at this, I need some help."

"That's always good," she said, "With your mom helping you, I mean." Nami smiled and nodded.

"But this isn't too revealing or anything, right?"

"None whatsoever," Aya said from behind. She wore a simpler outfit of a light turquoise, three-quarter sleeved sweater with a butterfly necklace. She wore a knee-length rosy, colored skirt and platform sandals. "It's actually perfect."

"Perfect for what?" Nami asked.

"We're going to introduce you to the boyfriends of this group. They're also our good friends as well," Aya answered.

"Wow."

"And we need them to hear you sing," Miyu added with a wink, "You sounded great last time we did Karaoke."

"Really?"

"Of course! Honestly, you've got just as much low self-confidence as Aya." Nami looked up and saw Ran standing over Hachiko. Aya began to pout.

"That's super mean, Ran. That was last year."

"I know, and look how far you've come?" Aya couldn't help but smile as Ran jumped down. She was in a long red jacket that covered a purple leopard pattern tube top and a white jean skirt. Her cream colored boots almost matched Nami's, making her feel bad about her outfit choice. Ran gave Nami a gal scanning and whistled.

"Well done," she said, giving a thumbs-up, "You're definitely gonna pick up some GL guys."

"GL?"

"Good Looking," Miyu pointed out, "There's going to be some gal language being used a lot, so try to pick them up when you can." Nami nodded and took a deep breath.

"What's the plan?" she asked.

"Well," Ran began, "the guys were suppose to be here soon, but since they're late, I say we buy you some press-on nails since we didn't have time last time."

"Ran, sometimes I feel that you're using Nami more as a doll rather than her own person," Aya pointed out.

"No way! I'd never do that to a friend, especially a new one like our Nami, right?" Nami nodded and sighed.

"I didn't know guys were involved in today's trip?"

"Is that a problem?" Aya asked with a concerned tone in her voice.

"No, it's just," she paused staring at the sky, "Let's just say I've had a bad experience with guys as well." A sudden slap sound and a burning pain grew on Nami's back. She stumbled forward and placed a delicate hand on the burning spot.

"Ah, don't dread on the past," Ran said, "We're here to help you start a new life as one of the greatest gals in Japan!" Nami turned around, her hand still on her back.

"You didn't have to slap me that hard you know?" Ran just laughed.

"Oh Ran," Miyu said, rolling her eyes. "Why don't we wait in the Hachi-poli until the boys arrive."

"The what?"

"It's the police station by the Hachiko statue," Aya answered as she began to walk towards the little police stand. Nami followed the three girls, Miyu ahead of the front of them. "Miyu's fiancée is the police officer stationed in Shibuya," she added.

"That's lucky," Nami replied, "She's got someone…to…WHAT? FIANCÉE?" Miyu spun around and placed her hands on her cheeks as she blushed.

"That's true. Yamato-kun and I have been dating for two years and we got engaged sometime after summer vacation." When the others caught up to her, she extended her left hand, showing Nami a small silver ring with a pink, heart-shaped jewel in its crown. Her eyes grew wide, not because of the ring, but because it was true.

"Congratulations," she said, not knowing what else to say.

"Thank you." Miyu grabbed Nami's arms and guided her inside, showing a small work space with a police officer sitting in his chair, staring intensively at a clipboard. He looked about late twenties, his brown hair tucked underneath his police hat.

"Yamato-kun!" Miyu screamed, dropping Nami's arm and running towards him. The police officer looked up from his work and was strongly impacted with Miyu's body.

"M-Miyu!" he screamed as he tried to balance himself on his chair, "I'm on duty right now."

"I know," Miyu said, looking sorry, "but I wanted to introduce you to a new friend." She looked at Nami and smiled. "This is Tsukiyomi Nami. She just transferred to Hounan this year." Yamato smiled and saluted.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kotobuki Yamato. If you're in trouble in the area, don't hesitate to ask."

"Kotobuki?" Nami repeated, "So that means-"

"Can't you think of anything better to say, Bro?" Ran asked, her face angry and her hands on her hips.

"It's my job to help people, Ran," Yamato replied.

"Brother and sister, huh?" Nami asked. Aya nodded and placed her black hair behind her ear.

"But they really care about one another. And he's taken good care of Miyu for two years now, so he's a good man, no matter what Ran says." Nami blinked and shook her head. _God, there's so much to this group_, she thought, _What else is there?_

"Ran-pyon!" Nami turned around and saw a boy with dark skin and blonde hair standing in the hallway, his hand high up in the air. "Machida Black has arrived, as you asked!" Nami stared at the boy, then moved on over to Aya in hope that she'd explain. Ran turned her head and placed a big grin on her face.

"Yo, Tatsukichi," she said, "I'm thirsty, so buy me a drink, okay?" Tatsukichi gave a thumbs-up.

"No prob, no prob. I hope we're gonna para-para today because I've been practicing some new moves to show you." Ran laughed.

"Sounds good. Oh, by the way…" she trotted on over behind Nami, placing both hands on her shoulder. "This is Nami, the newest member of our group." Nami smiled at the monkey-boy.

"Nice to meet you," she said. Tatsukichi grabbed both her hands and began to shake them vigorously, causing her to move up and down with every motion.

"Nice to meet'cha!" He said continuously. Nami began to see the room spin until another voice interrupted the shaking.

"Hey, Tatsukichi, careful. You might break who ever you're meeting." Once Tatsukichi let her go, Nami began to stager backwards. Luckily, Aya grabbed her arm.

"Sorry about that. Tatsukichi is an exciting person," she explained. Nami nodded and looked at the entranceway, seeing two other boys staring at her. One had blonde hair and hazel eyes, smiling at Nami as a greeting while the other boy just stared at her. His brown hair was clean cut and his blue eyes moved from her to Aya.

"Hope Tatsukichi hasn't scared you," the blonde hair boy said. Nami shook her head, not knowing what else to say. _Boy, I really suck at meeting people_, she commented in her head.

"This is Nami, our new friend from school," Aya introduced. The blonde boy extended his hand.

"I'm Asou Yuya," he said. Nami took his hand and shook it while he pointed to the other boy. "And that's Otohata Rei." Otohata looked over and said, "Yo." Nami nodded in response, not knowing how to respond to such a loner.

"Nii!" Ran called, "Where's Mami-rin?" Yuya faced Ran and rubbed the back of his head.

"She's doing something today, so she's gonna have to come at another time, though I'm gonna have to leave early to meet up with her." Ran snickered and elbowed Yuya gently in his ribs.

"You really like her, don't ya?" Yuya blushed and laughed. Aya let Nami go and walked on over to Otohata.

"I thought you had work today," she said. He shrugged.

"They didn't need me today, so I decided to come here instead." Aya placed a smile on her face.

"You know," Miyu whispered, causing Nami to jump, "Otohata and Aya are dating."

"Really?" Nami asked, completely surprised, "But he seems like a total jerk and Aya's so kind." Miyu giggled.

"They make a better couple than you think. It wasn't only our influence that made Aya stronger, but the winner of the GL Grade Prix, also known as Otohata-kun." Nami sighed.

"Man, this group is huge."

"Don't worry," Miyu reassured, taking Nami's hands, "You're gonna fit right on in. It's just gonna take some time." Nami looked over at the couples. "Give it a chance. I promise we'll make you feel like you belong."

_What've I got to lose?_

"Alright," Nami said.

"Alrighty then," Ran shouted, "Are we all here?"

"Actually," Yuya said, "Rei and I were gonna meet up with an old friend of ours. He's already by the Hachiko statue, so…" Ran began to pout.

"Pfft, why?"

"Do you have to stick your nose into other people's business?" Otohata asked, causing Ran to get mad.

"What did you say?" she asked, cracking her knuckles. She was about to strike when Tatsukichi grabbed her arms from behind, allowing only her feet to attempt to hit Otohata.

"Ran-chan, it's no big deal," Yuya said, trying to calm her down, "maybe he'll wanna tag along." Ran suddenly stopped kicking and thought for a moment.

"Well, the more people, the better." Yuya smiled.

"Good." He began to exit the station when he called back, "I'll bring him over."

"I didn't know that Otochi and Brother had a long lost friend," Tatsukichi commented, scratching his head. Otohata just sighed, leaning on the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"I guess now you're thinking about how you regretted coming," Aya said with a giggle, reading Otohata's thoughts. He shrugged.

"Sorta." Nami looked back and forth between couples. Miyu wondered to Yamato, Ran and Tatsukichi were gossiping, and Aya and Otohata were just…talking. She tried her best to keep her excitement flowing, but it all faded away.

_They've all got boyfriends. And I learned that they can be very distracting to people_, Nami thought, _I guess that too doesn't change, no matter what school you attend._

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Nami looked up and saw Yuya next to a tall boy with ink black hair. He looked surprised when he saw the size of the group, his grey eyes widening as they found more people. Once they fell onto hers, Nami felt the world stopping as she held her breath. The boy didn't move his eyes away either until Yuya introduced him.

"This is Tsuzuri Yuki. He's been our friend since middle school." Yuki smiled at everyone.

"Nice to meet you. Sorry to ruin any plans you had today," he said in his rich voice. Nami felt her hands clutching each other as she began to approach Aya.

"So you're Otochi's and Brother's long lost friend?" Tatsukichi asked. Yuki stared at him for a moment before answering.

"I was away for a while, but I've returned to Meisho High this year."

"Wow, did you study abroad somewhere?" Aya asked, intrigued by Yuki's absence in school.

"Sort of," he replied, "And it was well worth it."

"So maybe we should just give you the Shibuya tour special," Ran thought aloud, "since you've returned." She paused before jumping onto Yamato's desk. "Alright, it's decided! Let's head on over to Maru-Q, then do some bowling, and then finish with a kara-mara bang!" As everyone agreed and began to leave, Nami tugged on Aya's sweater, grabbing her attention.

"Huh? What's wrong, Nami?"

"Umm…well…there's something about Yuki that sorta…" Aya thought for a moment before realizing what she meant.

"Do you like Tsuzuri-san?" Nami shook her head furiously, feeling her face grow hot with each turn.

"No no, it's not like that. I think I've met him before."

"Really?" Nami explained about her bag breaking and Yuki switching his bag with hers without question. When Nami finished, Aya asked, "So technically you know each other."

"Yes, well, not really. He never told me his name."

"And neither did you?" Aya and Nami turned around and saw Ran and Miyu staring at them with sly grins on their faces.

"That's so mean, Nami!" Miyu shouted, "Keeping secrets about Yu-" Nami and Aya quickly shot their hands towards Miyu's mouth quieting her down.

"Miyu," Aya whispered, "It's not like that."

"So he gave you his Meisho bag without a fuss?" Ran asked. Nami nodded. "That's unfair! I had to fight Otohata to get his and then I stole it, but he wouldn't take it back and that's just" Ran continued to vent as Nami sighed, releasing her hand from Miyu's mouth.

"Look, just please, make sure I don't anything stupid."

"Of course," Miyu said in an obvious tone. "We've got your back."

[After Maru-Q and bowling]

"Man, that was tiring," Nami said as she plopped down on a park bench.

"Was that your first time bowling, Nami-chan?" Yuya asked.

"Just my first in a really long time."

"Well it definitely showed," Yuki commented. Nami felt a chill go through her body, feeling embarrassed about her playing skills. "Your mind wasn't on the game. It seemed to be somewhere else, which apparently was where the gutter was, thus causing your team to lose." Nami felt her heart sink as her eyes fell on the ground.

"Don't worry about it, Nami," Aya said, sitting next to her in comfort, "I'm not new at bowling and I still can't get a strike."

"It's all based on logic, really," Yuya added, "You've gotta either focus like crazy, or do what Rei does, which is to not care."

"Hey, Nami-rin." Nami looked over at Tatsukichi, who was holding a CD in his hand and a grin on his face. "Wanna learn to Para-Para?"

"That's a good idea," Ran said, taking off her red jacket, "Let's do my favorite one!" Ran pulled Nami to her feet and tried to teach her the dance moves. Luckily it didn't involve her feet much, but her upper body was essential and her timing was just out of control.

"No prob," Ran said when Nami fell to her knees out of tiredness, "It takes practice. We'll work on it."

"Para is a difficult thing to do," Yuki admitted, folding his arm across another, "However, with someone who's very uncoordinated, it's almost impossible."

"That's true," Otohata replied. Nami wiped the sweat from her forehead, panting and feeling her arms burn from all the moving about.

_Well isn't that just great_, she thought, _I look like a complete loser in front of everyone…like always…_ Nami slowly got back on her feet, dusting the dirt off her knees and boots. _But this Yuki guy is beginning to bug me. Can't he say anything nice about anything_?

"So Ran, what's next?" Miyu asked. Ran placed a proud smile on her face, carrying her bag so that it dangled in her hand over her shoulder.

"Karaoke, obviously. Can't do a Shibuya tour special without that." As the group muttered together, Ran leaned in to Nami and whispered, "Yuki can't say anything bad about your singing. Give him your best."

"But I'm not that-"

"Don't question, just do!" Ran shouted in a whisper. Nami nodded and they all headed towards the karaoke place. Everyone who wanted to sing got a turn, especially Ran who stayed up there until she received at least a 75 on her favorite song.

"That's way more than she'll ever get on a test," Miyu commented, causing everyone to laugh.

"Shad up!" Ran said with a pout, "But I do feel satisfied." She hopped off the stage and aimed the mic in front of Nami. "You're turn."

_Time to prove yourself._ With determination, Nami took the mic and walked on stage. She looked through the songs and decided to pick one called "Dakishimetai". _I remember hearing it before…many years ago._ With a deep breath, Nami began to sing, her voice echoing through the room. For the first time that day, she felt confident and that no matter what happened, she'd be alright, even if this Yuki guy was a jerk. Her eyes fell onto her friends, who gave her a thumbs-up, boosting her confidence even more.

_And this time, I've got friends to keep me going._

Once Nami' finished her singing, the room filled with applause and cheers. A smile grew across her face as she placed the mic back in its holder.

"That was amazing!" Miyu said, clapping her hands together.

"You've got a nice voice, Nami-chan," Yuya complimented.

"Thank you." Nami's eyes wondered towards Yuki, who was staring at her. His eyes stood still but it wasn't like he was amazed by her performance, but rather he was remembering something. _Well isn't that appropriate,_ Nami thought to herself.

"So, Yuki," Ran shouted, "Got anything bad to say now about Nami's singing?" Yuki closed his eyes, thinking for a moment before opening them, a small smile of defeat grew on his face.

"You're right. There's nothing for me to say." His eyes fell onto Nami's. "That was good." Her heartbeat began to bang loudly in her chest as she felt her face grow hotter. _He actually looks…hot…when he's not being mean…_

"However,"

_Forget it!_

"you were a little weak when you first started." Nami's hands began to tighten into a fist. "Plus when you changed keys, you were a little late." Her blood began to boil beneath her skin. "And your voice began to shake towards the end." And she felt something in her mind snap.

"Shut up," she muttered. Yuki stopped talking. "Shut the hell up you bastard!" Every was stunned by the sudden change in Nami's character, even Ran was speechless.

"Who do you think you are, joining us after being invited and then insulting _me_ for doing something wrong? Can you sing this song without a single mistake? I doubt it. You can't even sing."

"How do you know that?" he asked, amused by Nami's sudden change. However, his amusement only made her angrier.

"I don't," Nami admitted, "either way, I'm not gonna keep letting you insult me. If you've gotta problem with any of us here, then get the hell out because we don't want you." Yuki's amusement and smile disappeared and Nami saw anger growing through him too.

"I was invited here by Yuya," he pointed out.

"Yuya-kun didn't have to invite you. He and Otohata-kun could have just followed their plans to hang out with you. But _he's_ polite and he won't exclude you or us."

"Then shouldn't you all treat me with respect since I'm a guest?"

"And should you be polite to your hosts for allowing you to even hang with us?" Everyone else just watched the two fight and bicker until Yuki couldn't think of anything else to say. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. There was silence for a moment and Nami felt herself calming down.

"Nami." Miyu's voice broke the silence. "Are you alright?" Nami looked up and saw everyone staring at her as if she were an alien. Suddenly, she felt her heart tighten as she felt her vision fogging up.

"I'm sorry." As quickly as her feet could carry her, Nami ran out of the room and headed towards the exit. The slide doors moved aside as she left the building, continuing to run to wherever her group wasn't. Eventually, she felt herself growing tired and stopped running, her chest begging for air.

_I can't believe I lost my temper like that. I promised myself to NEVER do that._ Nami felt tears in the corner of her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand as her legs carried her through the city of Shibuya. _I was wrong in losing my temper, and the worst part is that Ran, Aya, and Miyu had to see that._

"Well look what we've got here?" Nami stopped thinking and saw two guys leaning against the building she was about to pass. "What's wrong? Boyfriend dumped you?"

_Gross._ She continued to walk by them when something grabbed her wrist.

"Come on, hang out with us. It'll be more fun." Nami felt herself beginning to freak out.

"BACK OFF!" She shouted, stomping on his foot, causing him to let her go. Her legs began to carry her again until she crashed into another body.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm in a-"

"Hurry? Yeah, I noticed." Nami looked up at the person, who was kneeling down and extended a hand, and felt her heart freeze.

"Yuki? What're you doing here?"

"No reason." He nodded his head towards the direction behind Nami, "Looks like you're having trouble with some horny guys." Nami chuckled.

"Yeah."

"Need help getting up?" Nami looked from his hand to his eyes. "I'm pretty sure getting up in a jean skirt's difficult." She felt her cheeks grow warm as she placed her hand into his. Once he hoisted her back onto her feet, she felt that she should speak.

"Look, I'm sorry that I'd lost my temper back there. It was wrong of me to shout like that and kick you out. However, I do not apologize for the thing I've said because all you did today was criticize me. And my favorite part is that I've done nothing rude or mean towards you."

"You're favorite part?" he asked.

"It's sarcasm, get used to it."

"Well, I accept your apology for losing your temper."

"Good."

"However…I should apologize for pointing out the bad in you. It's just a habit I do with people."

"Really?" Nami said with doubt in her voice, "Hard to believe. I could have sworn it was only me"

"Well it's true and no, it wasn't only you. I picked on the other girls too, you just weren't listening."

"Fine…apology accepted."

"Good." There was a pause as Yuki pressed the side of his index finger to his lips. "By the way, you look familiar." Nami felt a heat wave stroke her spin. "Didn't you have a bag problem a while ago?" Nami thought for a moment, debating to tell the truth or not.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I believe you have my bag."

"Oh my god!" _I don't wanna return that back! It's perfect for school!_

"I'm sorry," she said, "I can give it back to you if you want."

"No thanks. I've got another."

"Oh."

"NAMI!" Nami turnd around and saw Ran, Aya, and Miyu running towards her. Once they reached her, Ran placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Man, you run fast. It was hard to keep up with you." Ran's expression changed when she saw Yuki. "Bastard, what're you doing with my friend?" Yuki brought his hands up for defense.

"You're mistaking this, Kotobuki. I was just apologizing to her for being a jerk. That's all." Ran scanned him with her eyes, still on guard.

"Look, I can't stop you form hanging out with Nii and Otohata when they're with us, but I can stop you form being mean to my friend. I'll forgive you now, but if you make Nami lose herself like that again, it's gonna be kicks and punches for you."

"I've got the warning loud and clear," he assured, "So on that note, I'll see you girls later." He walked past the girls and headed back towards the Karaoke place.

"I'm sorry about that," Nami said, "I really didn't mean for that to happen."

"It's okay," Aya replied, "But I never thought you had a temper like that."

"It's not one of my good qualities."

"But you stood up for yourself," Miyu pointed out, "Good job."

"Thanks." Nami suddenly remembered something:

"_Well it's true and no, it wasn't only you. I picked on the other girls too, you just weren't listening_."

"Hey, did Yuki say anything mean to you guys?" The three looked at each other and shook their heads. Nami felt her anger building again. "That jerk. He lied to me!"

"Now now, be cool, be cool," Ran said, "At least he's not gonna make you go flip-crazy again, that's for sure. With us around, he better keep his insults to a minimum."

"Nami," Aya interrupted, "Did Yuki recognize you from the bag incident?"

"Yeah."

"I knew it!"

"Huh? What is it, Aya?" Miyu asked.

"If I'm right, him being mean to you today must mean that he recognized you when he saw you along with the fact that maybe he's crushing on you."

"WHAT!?" Nami screamed, "You've gotta be kidding me, that wouldn't dare look at me like that!"

"Actually, Aya might be right," Miyu mentioned, He was looking at you differently when you sang."

"Please don't do this," Nami pleaded, "You're getting my hopes up."

"Hopes up?" Ran repeated as an evil grin curled back her lips, "Sounds like there is some love in the air."

"No there isn't!"

"Yes there is!"

"No there isn't!"

"Yes there is!"

"Well it wouldn't matter anyway. He's a jerk and rude. I hate jerks."

"Well, looks like we'll have to fix that problem won't we? Hey, lets get those press-on nails that we couldn't get!"

"Ran, is that all you think about?" Miyu asked.

"Wait, what about the guys?"

"They were left behind to pay the bill," Aya answered.

"Come on, let's find some funky ones!" Ran grabbed Nami's wrist and dragged her away. As she was dragged, Nami looked back in the direction that Yuki took and sighed.

_Yeah, no way he'd be interested in me._


End file.
